Hillsfar
City in Cormanthor, The Moonsea
Hillsfar is a walled trading city on the southern shore of the Moonsea, at the edge of the forest of Cormanthor, notorious for its arena and its laws against nonhumans.
Red-plumed guards check every face at the gate, the roar of the arena crowd rolls across the harbour, and the dark trees of the forest press close to the walls.
Hillsfar at a glance
- Type & size
- Walled city-state and port, About 35,000 (1479 DR)
- Allegiance & rule
- Allegiance: Independent city of the Moonsea
- Ruled by: A senate of thirty-one wealthy merchants and guildmasters, with real power held by the First Lord; the Red Plumes serve as army and watch
- People & culture
- Almost entirely humans; under the Great Law of Humanity of the 14th century DR, nonhumans were barred or harassed, and many still avoid the city
- Key exports & trade
- Fine cloth and furs
- Cut gems
- Dragon's breath, a fiery liquor
- Gladiatorial games
Overview
Hillsfar stands on the Moonsea where the great forest of Cormanthor reaches the shore, and a road runs south from it through the woods to Sembia. It grew rich on trade across the Moonsea and with the realms to the south.
By the late 15th century DR it was governed by a senate of wealthy merchants, though real power lay with its First Lord, backed by the Red Plumes, a mercenary company that serves as its army and watch. Hillsfar's Great Law of Humanity has long made it hostile to elves, dwarves and other nonhumans, who could be arrested or sent to the arena.
The arena
Hillsfar's arena is the heart of its entertainment: gladiators, captured monsters and lawbreakers fight there before large crowds, and some adventurers enter for fame and gold.
At the table
- An elven friend of the party has been arrested at the gate under the Great Law, and will soon be sent to the arena.
On the map
Roads from Hillsfar
- OrdulinRoad · 275 mi
- Zhentil KeepBy sea · 139 mi
Regions nearby
- CormanthorForest · Hillsfar lies within it
Nearby places
- Myth DrannorRuin · ~56 mi
- Zhentil KeepCity · ~109 mi
- ShadowdaleVillage · ~125 mi
- EssembraTown · ~167 mi
- HighmoonTown · ~187 mi
- OrdulinCity · ~234 mi
Distances as the crow flies, measured on our map.